Good morning, our beautiful readers.
We so hope that you’re taking time to take care of yourself as the coldest months of winter approach us. We don’t have any housekeeping, announcements, or general opinions to share here, so we won’t keep you long before the review, we just wanted to remind you that if you plan on living a holiday romcom this December, you better have already started.
Cassidy
This week’s JTPC review features an Isabella pick. We read We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian. We Could Be So Good is set in the late 1950’s in New York City, where Nick is a reporter at one of the city's largest newspapers. Andy’s father owns the newspaper, and he has just started working at it so he can eventually take over. Andy is a mess with a capital M, which is evident by the fact that he and Nick meet while his tie is stuck in a cabinet and Nick has to help him get it out. And that’s how it goes. Nick takes Andy under his wing at the newspaper together, and!!!! I’m sure you can guess what happens next.
I had a much more neutral reaction to this book than you did I think. I flew through the first two thirds of it but had trouble getting to the end of it. I was enjoying it (especially compared to some of our recent reads) but could not get myself to finish it. I started to get a little bored around the two thirds mark.
Isabella
I feel like I’m writing a eulogy. I was so ready to love this book. In my notes that I keep while I read, after reading the first chapter, I wrote “this book is phenomenal”. I could already tell it was phenomenal. But I agree with you — the last third of the book just did not land. I have been thinking and chewing on this but the last third of the book did not land.
I’ve read many Cat Sebastian books (and I recommend all that I’ve read!) and she always makes me cry. Her books are all so short. I was excited for a longer book of hers but I think the length is what killed it. Yeah. I keep trying to convince myself that I loved this book.
I WAS EXPECTING TO CRY. Like ugly tears. The summary on Goodreads called this book a romdram. It wasn’t. I’m actually bummed that I didn’t cry, based on the summary I really thought this book would do it. I even texted you saying “I’m waiting for the shoe todrop.” and then “Oh wait I think I’m here”. But! It turns out I was not. In that scene Nick and Andy have what turns out to be a fairly minor argument. We Could Be So Good felt like it was building up to something, that there would be this major dramatic moment. Not all books need a super dramatic third act break up, but here it felt like we were supposed to be getting there and then got nothing? Somehow this book was too long but also not enough happened. A weird spot to be in.
This is actually something I really appreciate about Sebastian. She doesn’t create these completely unrealistic, exaggerated plots that take me out of the story and makes me question if this is how people act. She usually gives her characters like 12 hours to be self-pitying babies and then they realize they’re adults and need to speak to each other. And I feel like in other books it’s like days and days of miscommunication that feels really childish. She doesn’t do that! And how that works is it’s day in the life, beautiful writing but that just can’t be sustained for almost 400 pages.
I think that about sums it up. I appreciated that they didn’t take forever to talk out their issues, and would have enjoyed it more if it had made more sense in the book. If a book is going to be 400 pages long you gotta give me something more to work with. Instead you get events happening and problems being solved, and that just being repeated over and over again. It really just needed to be 100 pages shorter and I would have loved it.
I did like the secondary characters. The friendships added to the story and made Nick/Andy more interesting characters. Sometimes I hate the secondary characters, this time I didn’t. None of them were scheming and annoying, and I didn’t want to strangle them. I even cared about their storylines.
Right. Like this was a good character piece. The characters were interesting, dynamic, responded like people, and I generally did care about the entire lineup. This was very much a “be careful what you wish for” for me because I’m sooooooo anti-plot. I dislike plot. I generally applaud Sebastian for her refusal to contrive plots. But. Well. There has to be some driving force that isn’t Andy and Nick repeatedly reassuring each other for 400 pages.
There was so much to appreciate here, though. And I highlighted so many passages I loved. The plot wasn’t there, but I did find truly spectacular pieces that I am still very much in love with. I’m torn on sharing them, because spoilers you know? But the yearning is so good and so mushy. And beautifully written.
That I can agree with. What was missing plot wise was more than made up for with the writing. THERE WAS YEARNING. Sebastian crushed the romance aspect of this book. That’s what really kept me reading it, even when I found myself a little bored. I lovedwatching their relationship develop. From Nick being in denial, to pining from afar, to them finally admitting feelings for each other. It was all so good. There are parts I would love to share, but yeah I really don’t think we should spoil anything. Because while maybe we had issues with the length and lack of some plot, I don’t think everyone will. It’s definitely just a personal preference in my case. The way the romance is written in this is enough for me to think people should give it a chance.
That’s why I’m so torn! This book IS my personal preference. It’s got yearning, fantastic writing, and doesn’t have this unnecessarily complicated plot. But something was missing for me. And I think, and I know we use this word often, the book was lacking brevity.
Because you’re right. You nailed it right on the head: they solved what was essentially the same problem over and over again. And they just needed to solve it once and then the book is over. IF THAT HAPPENED????????? Okay now Isabella is back to this being a phenomenal book. The pacing and pressure wasn’t quite right.
That said. Sebastian knows how to write a period piece.
Brevity!!! At this point it's gotta be one of our favorite words. But yeah, you either gotta give us different problems to solve or end the book. SORRY.
Oh you can tell a lot of research went into this. Very much felt like you were in New York City in the 1950s. There was hatred for Robert Moses! One of my favorite things! Actually those references was how I knew this was going to be a realistic period piece. The worldbuilding was really well done and a huge reason why I kept reading the book.
The last thing I have to scream praises about is that this book was pretty funny. Like on purpose. She’s very funny and she knows how to write funny. It’s obviously intentional but feels effortless. Nick was just so funny and charismatic? Again and again. And soooooo much yearning and it was so mushy and charming and heartwarming and I feel like any reasonable person would have a crush on Nick. Stunner. Very charming.
Oh some of Nick’s lines made me laugh out loud. He was written to be grump, but was not overly so. Like just the perfect amount. Really a very well written character.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a decent amount! There were enough positives that I could overlook the bits that dragged on. If any JTPC readers are interested in historical romances, I definitely recommend giving it a try.
As always, do they stay together after the book ends?
Yes. Absolutely, yes.
For sure. No doubt in my mind.
Isabella PS: If you’ve been following along with that new show, Fellow Travelers, and you like it but want something less high stakes, then I do very much recommend this book and Sebastian’s Cabot series, as well.